Thursday, January 24

Homemade Pizza with Fennel Sausage and Rapini

There are some things in life that are so commonplace, you just assume that no matter where you live, they'll be there. Like supermarkets, gas stations, McDonald's, and pizza dough.

Every weekend of my life in Rhode Island, I went to Crugnale's Bakery to pick up 3 lbs. of pizza dough for $1. Like eggs and milk, it was a staple in our house.

Rhode Island -- the state with the highest percentage of Italian-Americans -- has an extraordinarily high number of bakeries, all of which sell pizza dough.

Imagine my shock when we moved to North Carolina and discovered that not only were there no Italian bakeries to be found, but people didn't even know what I meant when I asked for pizza dough.

I searched markets, delis, and bakeries:

Me: "Excuse me, do you sell pizza dough?"

Guy: "We don't sell pizza, Ma'm."

Me: "No, not pizza, just the dough."

Guy: "Just the dough? Why, don't you want the pizza?"

Me: "Well, I do want pizza, but I want to make it myself."

Guy: "Pizza Hut delivers you know."

After weeks of similar conversations, I decided to make my own. I asked my mom for a recipe, and three days days later, an envelope arrived in the mail. The recipe inside was so tattered and stained from years of use, I figured it had to be good. It's more than good. It's foolproof. Plus, it only takes about 10 minutes to make.

In a large bowl, dissolve in 2 cups of warm water, yeast, sugar, and salt.

Using a spoon, gently blend.

Add 5 cups of all-purpose flour and 2 tablespoons of olive oil to start. Blend with a spoon just until the dough starts to form, then using your hands, transfer to a floured surface.

Knead well—adding flour if it’s too sticky—until the dough becomes springy and smooth. It should take a good 5-10 minutes of vigorous kneading. It will be soft and silky when done.

Place the dough in a large, clean bowl coated with olive oil and rub some olive oil on top of the dough. Cover with a clean, dry dishtowel and let rise in a warm, draft-free area until doubled in size (at least 2 hours).

Punch the dough down to release air bubbles. Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface to roll out. You can let the rolled out dough rest for about 30 minutes; it will rise slightly and create a puffier crust.

Leftover dough can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Coat the inside of a Ziploc bag with some cooking spray and drop the dough in; that way it doesn’t stick to the plastic. Allow to come to room temperature before rolling out.

Tips for Making Good Pizza Dough

*Make sure your yeast is fresh and not past its use-by date.
*When kneading the dough, push it away from you, then pull it towards you with the heel of your hand. Vigorous kneading (including breaking a sweat) will make for a lighter, crispier crust. The dough should feel silky soft when it's ready.
*Let the dough rise in a warm, draft-free area. Cold temps prevent it from rising well.
*Always punch it down to release air bubbles.
*Freshly made dough is easy to roll out. Start in the center and roll outwards, ensuring it's an even thickness so it'll cook evenly.
*Always preheat your oven before cooking your pizza to get an extra crispy crust.

Now it's time to make pizza! I'm submitting this recipe for Fennel Sausage and Rapini Pizza to Joey, of the beautiful 80 Breakfasts, who has chosen pizza as this month's Hay, Hay, It's Donna Day theme.

Rapini, also known as broccoli rabe, broccoli raab, and rape, is a popular Italian vegetable. Though it resembles slender, leafy broccoli, it is actually a relative of the turnip. Rapini's bold, slightly bitter flavor pairs perfectly with spicy fennel sausage, sweet caramelized onions, and sharp provolone cheese. Blanching and shocking the rapini helps remove some of its bitterness and maintain its vibrant green color.

Preheat oven to 500 degrees F if using a pizza stone or 425-450 if using a baking sheet.

Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface. Transfer to a sheet of parchment paper (if using a stone) or to a parchment lined baking sheet. Brush with 1 tsp olive oil.

Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Boil rapini for 2 minutes; drain and plunge into a bowl of ice water. Shocking the rapini will maintain its vivid green color and stop it from cooking. After a couple of minutes, drain the rapini in a colander.
Slice sausage links. In a large skillet over medium heat, add 1 teaspoon olive oil to a skillet, and pan sear 4-5 minutes per side, until they are brown and crispy. Remove sausage to a plate.
In the same skillet over medium heat, warm 2 teaspoons olive oil. Add sliced onions and sugar; stir occasionally, until onions begin to caramelize, about 5-6 minutes. Add the rapini and crushed red pepper, and continue cooking, about 2-3 minutes, until rapini is slightly browned. Return sausage to skillet and stir. Remove from heat.

Place half of the provolone cheese on the oiled dough. Arrange the sausage mixture on top, then add the second half of the provolone cheese.

For a pizza stone, bake at 500 degree for about 10 minutes, or until both the top and bottom of the crust is brown and the cheese is melted.

For a baking sheet, bake at 450 for about 25 minutes, or until both the top and bottom of the crust is brown and the cheese is melted.

Sprinkle with grated Reggiano-Parmigiano cheese before serving.

**Fennel sausage is mildly hot and spicy and can be found at Italian markets and delis. Otherwise, substitute any type of sausage you like.

I've tried making my own dough a couple of times, but decided it was a lot of effort. I am ashamed to admit that I often use that stuff in the tube, too sweet though it might be. But this recipe looks easy enough that I'm very tempted to try again. What do you think about trying to make it using the dough hook on a kitchenaid? Also, is this amount about right for one pizza, or a bit more? Thanks! :)

Oh, YUM! Not only the fool-proof dough (which I've been searching for years) but that extra kick of fennel sausage! Did you ever consider starting your own pizza chain, and giving that other place a run for their money? :-)

Firstly wow u are so skinny !! and how sweet to give a step by step demo ! really helpful those tips too , i've been wanting to make pizza for 2 days now but too lazy to get out to buy the cheese. Now u've tempted me to go get some :)

I think it's WAY superior that you make your own dough (and it's easier than most of us think).But.Did you know Trader Joe's sells pizza dough? A little lump in a plastic bag for about a buck, in the refrigerated section.

I always refrain from making my own pizza because it takes quite a lot of time but seeing and reading you do it I might give it a try. Do you know if you can freeze it too? Or do you have to prebake?!Looks wonderfully delicious btw...

peter-That's so funny because my mom always made doughboys with pizza dough, and you might be seeing them here soon....:)

asha-Thanks! Would you believe I've only had Pizza Hut once in my life, and I was about 8 or 9 years old!

sarah-I don't have a Kitchen-Aid, but I know people who use it for dough, and it comes out fine. I swear though, the kneading isn't that hard, and it's kind of fun to feel the dough transform in your hands.

Half this recipe makes about a 1 pound pizza. It would comfortably serve 4 people for dinner or 2 extremely hungry ones. :)

rosa-Thanks so much! I love experimenting with different toppings.

anticiplate-I love squash on pizza and will have to try yours next!

ellie-The crust is my favorite part.

tw-I'd need a partner though. Can you think of anybody? Like a New Yorker, for instance? Hmmm? :)

lydia- I still miss Crugnale's!

Maytal-Let me know how it comes out if you do!

happy cook-I'm glad you like it.

julie-Thin crust?? Oh, no!! But, you like the Pats, so I guess that evens things out. ;)

namratha-I hope they help.

sagari-Wow, thanks! :)

mike-Mmmm....love the idea of the browned cheese on the crust.

julie-That's OK. I can't cheat--I don't have one!

ann-Yeh! Pizza making day is always a happy day!

sig-I'm sure Seattle has bakeries that sell dough. They have all delicious things there!

kate-Go get the cheese! Go get the cheese! :)

cookiecrumb-Yes, thanks! I've had good luck with it too. But, I like a really thick crust which usually only happens with homemade.

eve-thanks!

linda-You know, I don't like the taste of frozen dough, so I've never tried freezing it. But, I don't see why you couldn't freeze it, as long as it was insulated well so it wouldn't get frosty.

mansi-I've never had it, but anything called veggie supreme must be good.

Bless your heart, woman. I have always felt such trepidation about making my own dough (and I can buy it at the store, nyah nyah), but now I think I'm gonna go for it. I'm totally snagging your dough recipe. YOINK!

If I were the guy I'd say, 'You already made the best pizza, can I buy some from you?' :)Back then in NJ, sometime I spent an hour in pizzeria, having pizza and watching the owner (usually family's bussiness) making the dough... thanks for your authenic and delicious pizza, bringing me back all those memories.

Sausage and broccoli rabe! That's a classic right there. I would have slapped that market man then and there. Kidding! I actually had no objections to Pizza Hut pizza (I love all kinds of food), but when they started incorporating various cheeses into the dough, then into the crust, then finally turned the outer rim into cheesy puffs or something, it kind of felt like a joke already, so I only eat it with friends now (but we don't waste our money on the "fancy" crusts).

I would LOVE to be in a neighborhood were many stores sell uncooked components :)

katiez-I've never seen a box mix for pizza dough. But you know I use Bisquick for my pancakes.

meeta-It's a pretty good arm workout too. ;)

annemarie-Oh, I do hope you try it.

brilynn-I do too!

culinography-That's too funny! So you know I wasn't kidding.

heather-Go for the dough! Go for the dough! Yoink?! What a fun word!

the expat chef- I have made plenty of pizzas on stones and on baking sheets and both come crispy. I think the real key is a high heat, 450-500 degrees F. The last place we lived in had a really old oven that couldn't get to 500, so even with a stone it wasn't as crispy as it could have been. If I had to choose though, I would say that pre-heating a stone is still your best bet for the crispiest crust possible.

tracy-I hope you do. It really makes a great crust.

helene-I hope you find them. The flavor of the fennel works beautifully with the bitter rapini.

gattina-NJ guys, what a hoot.

cakespy-I MOST appreciate that. :)

manggy-I know, you really appreciate those neighborhoods when you don't have them anymore.

Beautiful pizza! The dough was beautiful too. I enjoy homemade pizza so much better than delivery. Half the fun is mixing and matching the toppings. The bakery at my market (Publix) sells pizza dough. It's not bad, but I always add a bit more flour, punch it down and give it a 2nd rise before I use it. The pizza come out great! :)

Oh my goodness! What a gorgeous looking pizza! I too, am in the pizza-dough-less world, and have to make my own....but yours? OMG I think I might just brave the yeast and make some! That fennel sausage sounds fab...I usually add some fennel seeds to my sausage (also homemade...and the sauce too. What can I say, even though there are 6000 pizzerías around here, the sauce is somewhat plain, and I like it spicier). It's funny how different the toppings are here from the US..."sausage?" Means hot dogs. Bleeeeaaaaaccchhhkkk! :P The rappini sounds amazing on pizza too! Sorry for the novel, I guess you can tell I loved the post! lol :)

This looks fantastic - we are BIG fans of homemade pizza. I've been using a Giada recipe that involves my food processor and have loved that recipe (until now!) but it comes out a lot thinner than yours - so I'm tempted to change it up. Any tips on incorporating some whole wheat flour?

That pizza looks amazing! And I was stunned when you said that in NC there were no Italian bakeries. None?? How could that be? I can't even wrap my head around that one. I guess I'm pretty spoiled here. I can practically walk to Montilio's and the North End is just a hop, skip, and a jump away.

oh excellent. i need a good pizza recipe. also, yeast can go bad long before it's sell-by date -- i've experienced that disaster firsthand. question: can you freeze the dough? i'd like to make mini pizza crusts that i could pull out of the freezer for fast pizza dinners! :-)

Beautiful! Funny.. my pizza dough is pretty much the same recipe, but I take the super lazy way out and let my bread machine make it.. which it is right this second.. and this morning, I made some spicy sausagerroni type seitan and cheez to top it with..

Wow, Susan! Your amazing pizza and beautiful photos thereof have certainly gotten people talking. A quick question for you. If you don't let the dough rise a second time, but just roll it out and bake it right away, will you end up with thin crust pizza? After having some on a New York visit, I've become a huge fan. And for the record, not all Chicagoans like deep dish--in fact, it's on the wane here.

That's so funny. I had the exact same experience except eventually they decided to sell me the dough. Here in New Haven, we've got some really amazing pizza shops that cook directly in wood fired brick ovens. I think they get a little insulted that I just want the dough!

Also, thanks so much for the step by step illustration! I've never made pizza dough and am still working my way through various yeast-y things...will have to try this...

katy-I would suggest partially cooking the crusts first. Then wrap them in Saran, then foil. Place inside a Ziploc so they won't get freezer burned. They can go from the freezer straight into a hot oven. I wouldn't suggest keeping them in the freezer for more than a couple of months.

melody-I don't have a bread machine, but if I did, I'd cheat once in a while too. :)

terry-Thanks! If you want a thinner crust, then I would roll it out very thin to start with and only do one rise.

david-Homemade is definitely superior (at least in my book).

cookie baker lynn-Thanks so much!

sarahsouth-That's wonderful!

nupur-I'm glad you find it helpful.

lore-Let me know how it goes!

bal-Nope, it's the same everywhere. ;)

rachael-That's funny. I guess some people just can't imagine making pizza at home!

Mmmm... you're right, homemade pizza is the best! Yours looks delicious! We had pizza last night with spinach, mushrooms and ham - was it ever good. But now I want to try a fennel sausage and rapini pizza!

-Elizabeth

P.S. I like to add just a little whole wheat flour to our pizza dough. It gives it a slightly nutty taste.

ames- It's really easy to make. Sure your can freeze it as long as it's insulated well to prevent frosting. My dad used to freeze it sometimes, but he preferred to partially bake the crusts for 10 minutes or so first, then cool them and freeze them. But that's up to you.

Susan, I have been searching for a home made pizza dough for quite awhile now, and yours is perfect! I actually had a pizza party at my house this weekend, and everyone loved it! I have a 5 year old son with severe food allergies, so we cannot order pizza out. He is the reason I started on this quest. I think it has turned out to be a blessing in disguise!

I have started a new blog, and part of it is going to offer a cooking category. Can I get our permission to list this recipe as long as I link back to your site? I would greatly appreciate it. Many of my family members like having access to safe recipes that they, too, can make form my son.

I tried your pizza dough recipe last week and it was PERFECT! I tried Giada's and one of Alton Brown's recipes, but somehow they didn't turn out as well as yours did. This is going to be my 'go-to' recipe for pizza dough from now on. Thanks soo much!! :)